Carousel Education provides high quality bespoke support that addresses current educational challenges and practices. Our vision is to enable school leaders and staff to provide the best possible outcomes for all their children. In addition to our resources, we aim to offer down to earth, interactive, innovative and practical solutions for school leaders.
Carousel Education provides high quality bespoke support that addresses current educational challenges and practices. Our vision is to enable school leaders and staff to provide the best possible outcomes for all their children. In addition to our resources, we aim to offer down to earth, interactive, innovative and practical solutions for school leaders.
In this unit of work children learn about structures by designing and making a model of a monkey enclosure for the local zoo. They begin by visiting a local playground to look at the different types of playground equipment, their shapes and structures. Having discussed their favourite playground activities and equipment, they draw a plan of their ideal playground. Children create 2D and 3D structures using drinking straws and pipe cleaners and are taught different ways of making these frame structures stronger, stiffer, and more stable. Using information from either a visit to a zoo or from watching a video of different monkeys and primates in zoos, children design a new enclosure for monkeys. They use their ideas and designs to help them create a model of a monkey enclosure applying different skills and techniques to make their structure strong, stiff and stable.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: Visiting the Local Playground
Focused Practical Task 1: Making Straw Shapes and IDEA Task 2: Monkeying Around
Focused Practical Task 2: Playground Models
Designing Session
Making Session
Evaluating Session
Snack Dippers is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 5-7
Design Brief: Design and make a dips and dippers food product as a healthy snack between meals.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Cooking and Nutrition
In this unit of work children extend their knowledge of food preparation by designing and making a healthy lunchtime snack. They learn how to make Greek Tzatziki and also take part in a taste test to find out what vegetables and biscuits make the best dippers. Using their knowledge of how to make Tzatziki, they adapt this recipe to make a dips and dippers product based on Indian Raita. As part of the evaluation, they design labelling for their snack product and create an advert to promote their product.
Photograph Frames is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: Design and make a seasonal, savoury tart for your school lunch
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations.
This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Materials
Structures
In this unit of work children learn about creating a wooden framework that is used to create a free-standing photograph frame. They investigate how frames are constructed so that they are strong and stable, and the different techniques that allow them to be free-standing. They apply this technical knowledge when designing and making their own wooden photograph frame using the Jinks method. Children learn about ideas of theming and decorating products and apply this knowledge to their own photograph frame.
Mini Greenhouse is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: Design and make a mini greenhouse to provide the right conditions for seeds to germinate and grow.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Structures
Materials
In this project children learn about how greenhouses are used to grow plants and the conditions that are needed for healthy plant growth. Children learn about frame structures and the different techniques that can be used to make them stronger, stiffer, and more stable. They are introduced to using computer software to help in designing products and use this software to design a mini greenhouse to grow plant seedlings in. They further their understanding of frame structures by using their design to make a mini greenhouse using the Jinks method of constructing wooden frameworks. As part of the evaluation, they can plant, germinate and grow seedlings.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: All About Greenhouses & IDEA Task 2: Investigating Frame Structures
IDEA Task 3: Understanding Structures & Focused Practical Task 1: Making a Wooden Frame
Focused Practical Task 2: Introducing Computer-Aided Design
Designing Greenhouses
Making a Mini Greenhouse
Evaluation Session
Torches is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: Design and make a ‘hands-free’ headlamp for someone walking their dog at night.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Structures
Materials
Electrical Systems
In this unit of work children are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge of creating simple electrical circuits to design and make a torch product. Using a range of electrical components, they create a hand torch that lights up when the switch is on. Children have the opportunity to develop brainstorming skills to investigate how a torch works and then use the same skills to develop ideas and to design their product. In this unit children are taught how cut-away drawings, labels and annotations can help to understand how a product has been made and functions. They use this knowledge to create an authentic ‘hands-free’ headlamp product for somebody who walks their dog at night. Having made their product and thinking about the appeal to the intended client, children design a poster to market and advertise their product.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: All About Torches
IDEA Task 2: Investigating Torches
Focused Practical Task 1: Making a Torch
Designing the Headlamp Torch
Making the Headlamp Torch
Evaluation Session
In this unit of work children learn how to design and make tortilla wraps as part of a healthy diet. They continue to develop their understanding of healthy eating messaging and the Eatwell Guide and use this knowledge when designing their own healthy lunchtime wrap. They consolidate their knowledge of a range of different food types and know what food group from the Eatwell Guide they belong to. They know that a wrap consists of tortilla bread wrapped around a filling and how to conduct a taste test to evaluate food taste, texture, and appearance. Children learn that food is either grown, reared or caught and apply this learning to different fillings used for lunchtime wraps. As part of their learning, children investigate the information on food labels and packaging as use this knowledge to design packaging for the lunchtime wraps that they have created.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1 – Wraps for Lunchtime
FPT 1: Making Tortillas & IDEA Task 2: Wraps – What, Where and Why?
FPT 2: Making the Wrap Filling – Making a Tuna Wrap
DME: Designing the Wrap
DME: Making the Wrap
DME: Evaluation Activity – Healthy Lunchbox
Mechanical Book Page is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: To design and make a page for a book for the class library with movable mechanisms to interest and engage the reader.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Materials
Mechanical Systems
In this project children create a page for a book for the class library. This book could be linked to wider curriculum learning. Children consolidate and develop their knowledge of simple mechanical systems with a focus on levers and linkages. The focused practical tasks deepens children’s knowledge and understanding of how levers and linkages work by making simple mechanical monsters. Children then apply their knowledge of levers and linkages to create a movable part for a book page and enhance this page by adding other mechanical systems such as levers, pop-ups and flap mechanisms. Children add text, images and other decorative features to make their page attractive and appealing to the reader.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: Investigating Moving Books & Focused Practical Task 1: Making a Lever Monster
Focused Practical Task 2: Making a Linkage Monster
Focused Practical Task 3: Pull Down Mechanism
Designing the book page
Making the book page
Evaluation session
In this unit of work, children apply their knowledge and understanding about healthy eating to design and make Mexican-inspired tacos based on the key messages from the Eatwell Guide for healthy eating. Children begin by discussing the different ways that we can eat food at home and outside the home. They conduct market research into their favourite take-away foods. They consolidate their understanding of how designers use mood boards when creating their products. In learning how to make a tortilla and a filling they acquire the essential skills and knowledge needed to make a taco. They consolidate their understanding of the different food groups on the Eatwell Guide to healthy eating and use this knowledge to design a taco that promotes the Eatwell Guide. As part of this unit, they begin to understand the danger of eating too much take-away food and how people make dietary choices and vegetarian and vegan diets. Having designed and made their taco product they become entrepreneurs and set up their own small business learning business basics, marketing and budgeting.
Ramayana Puppets is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 5-7.
Design Brief: Design and make a puppet to tell the story of the Ramayana in a class puppet show.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Materials
Textiles
In this unit children make a hand puppet by marking out, cutting, and joining pieces of fabric together to create a character from the story of the Ramayana. Children learn about different types of puppets and some famous puppets such as Sooty and Sweep and the Muppets. They understand that a puppeteer makes the puppet appear alive. They draw a puppet design based on a character from the Ramayana. They learn how to thread a needle and the technique of the simple running stitch. They apply and practise the running stitch to create decorative stitching using Binca material. Stitching two identical templates together they create a basic puppet figure which they then decorate using a range of skills following their puppet design of a character from the Ramayana.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1 – Let’s Find Out About Puppets & Focused Practical Task 1 – Starting to Sew
IDEA Task 2 – What makes a Good Puppet?
Focused Practical Task 2 – Making a Hand Puppet
Designing Your Puppet
Making Your Puppet
Evaluation Session
Orrery is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11.
Design Brief: Design and Make an Orrery to teach younger children how the Solar System works.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Mechanical Systems
Structures
Materials
In this project, children apply their knowledge of mechanisms and in particular cam mechanisms, to design and make an orrery. They learn that an orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system that shows how the planets orbit the Sun. They learn how a cam mechanism can change vertical rotation into horizontal rotation and apply this knowledge when designing their model. They create a wooden framework to house the mechanical system that works the orrery. They design and make a model of the solar system that will rotate as part of the model. Children decorate the orrery model using suitable theming. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications and consider improvements they would make to their product. As part of the evaluation process, children create a Zine all about the orrery they have designed and made.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: What is an Orrery?
Focused Practical Task 1 – Making a Cam Frame
DME: Designing the Orrery
DME: Making the Orrery
DME: Decorating the Orrery
DME: Evaluating the Orrery
In this unit children extend their knowledge and understanding of mechanical systems by learning about pneumatic systems. They apply this knowledge to create a rainforest monster toy with a pneumatic moving mouth. They begin by learning about how air creates movement in a pneumatic system. Using this knowledge in a focused practical task, they create a simple pneumatic toy based on the story of the wide mouth frog. They further extend their knowledge of pneumatic systems using connected syringes to understand how pneumatic systems can change the direction and amount of movement in a system. They apply this knowledge to design and make a toy based on a rainforest animal. The toy uses a pneumatic system to control the opening and closing of its mouth.
Temple Marble Run is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11.
Design Brief: Design and make a prototype Marble Run toy based on a temple theme for the MAGIC toy company.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
Materials
Structures
In this project children design and make a prototype Marble Run game. This is an opportunity for children to consolidate and demonstrate their understanding of structures and in particular different techniques used to make structures stronger, stiffer, and more stable. Children deepen their understanding of designing a product around a central theme and the use of a mood board to develop their ideas. When making the Marble Run toy they will need to try out and test out their ideas to ensure that the Marble Run functions as it should. This project introduces the idea that designers make models and prototypes as part of the design process and use these models to inform the final design.
Sessions:
IDEA Task 1 What is a Marble Run? & IDEA Task 2 Creating Tall Towers
Focused Practical Task 1 – Columns and Sliders
DME: Introducing the Marble Run Project
DME: Developing the Design
DME: Making the Marble Run Toy
DME: Evaluation Session
In this unit of work children design, make and decorate a Tote Bag to encourage people to be more eco-friendly. Children learn about different types of bags and their functions and understand that designers will often design a product that has both function and is fashionable. Children have the opportunity to develop and consolidate their sewing skills and techniques working with textiles. Each child makes an identical tote bag but in learning about graphic design will make design decisions around additional features to add to their tote bag and also about how to decorate their tote bag with a slogan and logo to promote an eco-friendly message.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1: Investigating Bags & Focused Practical Task 1 – Fashion Designers and Mood Boards
IDEA Task 2: Newspaper Bag Challenge
Focused Practical Task 2 – Making a Tote Bag
Eco-Bag Designer
Adding the decoration.
Evaluation session.
Automaton Toymaker is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11. The unit focuses on designing and making an automaton toy using a cam mechanism.
Design Brief: Design and make an automaton toy for the local toy museum
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Mechanical Systems
• Materials
• Structures
In this project, children apply their knowledge of mechanisms and in particular cam mechanisms, to design and make an automaton toy. They learn about the key features of an automaton and will use this knowledge when designing and making their own product. They learn how cams can change movement in a mechanical system. When creating their toy, they design the automaton character and decide the movement it will make, selecting the appropriate cam mechanism to produce this movement. They make a wooden box structure for their automaton before adding the cam mechanism and the character. Children decorate the automaton to create a scene for the automaton character. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications. Finally, they consider improvements they would make to their product and design a Mark II version of their automaton toy.
Automaton Toymaker is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11. The unit focuses on designing and making an automaton toy using a cam mechanism.
Design Brief: Design and make an automaton toy for the local toy museum
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Mechanical Systems
• Materials
• Structures
In this project, children apply their knowledge of mechanisms and in particular cam mechanisms, to design and make an automaton toy. They learn about the key features of an automaton and will use this knowledge when designing and making their own product. They learn how cams can change movement in a mechanical system. When creating their toy, they design the automaton character and decide the movement it will make, selecting the appropriate cam mechanism to produce this movement. They make a wooden box structure for their automaton before adding the cam mechanism and the character. Children decorate the automaton to create a scene for the automaton character. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications. Finally, they consider improvements they would make to their product and design a Mark II version of their automaton toy.
Automaton Toymaker is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11. The unit focuses on designing and making an automaton toy using a cam mechanism.
Design Brief: Design and make an automaton toy for the local toy museum
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Mechanical Systems
• Materials
• Structures
In this project, children apply their knowledge of mechanisms and in particular cam mechanisms, to design and make an automaton toy. They learn about the key features of an automaton and will use this knowledge when designing and making their own product. They learn how cams can change movement in a mechanical system. When creating their toy, they design the automaton character and decide the movement it will make, selecting the appropriate cam mechanism to produce this movement. They make a wooden box structure for their automaton before adding the cam mechanism and the character. Children decorate the automaton to create a scene for the automaton character. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications. Finally, they consider improvements they would make to their product and design a Mark II version of their automaton toy.
Automaton Toymaker is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 9-11. The unit focuses on designing and making an automaton toy using a cam mechanism.
Design Brief: Design and make an automaton toy for the local toy museum
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Mechanical Systems
• Materials
• Structures
In this project, children apply their knowledge of mechanisms and in particular cam mechanisms, to design and make an automaton toy. They learn about the key features of an automaton and will use this knowledge when designing and making their own product. They learn how cams can change movement in a mechanical system. When creating their toy, they design the automaton character and decide the movement it will make, selecting the appropriate cam mechanism to produce this movement. They make a wooden box structure for their automaton before adding the cam mechanism and the character. Children decorate the automaton to create a scene for the automaton character. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications. Finally, they consider improvements they would make to their product and design a Mark II version of their automaton toy.
Kandinsky Cushions is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: Design and make a decorative cushion to be sold in the local art gallery shop.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Materials & Textiles
In this unit children join textile pieces to create both a cushion and a cushion cover. Children investigate different kinds of cushions and their purpose, and they learn that cushions can be designed to provide support and to be decorative. They build on previous learning about the running stitch and different embroidery techniques that are used to decorate fabrics.
They are introduced to the backstitch technique and apply this skill when learning about different textile fastenings and when sewing a button and matching buttonhole.
Using the design brief and specifications, they design a cushion cover based on the iconic abstract art of Wassily Kandinsky. They use learnt techniques to make a cushion and a decorative cushion cover following the designs that they made. As part of the evaluation, children create an online shopping page for the cushion product and also present their product in a Dragon’s Den simulation.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1 – Investigating Cushions & Focused Practical Task 1 – Decorative Stitching
IDEA Task 2 – Investigating Fastenings & Focused Practical Task 2 – Buttons & Buttonholes
Focused Practical Task 3 – Making a Cushion
Cushion Designer (Designing the Cushion Cover)
Cushion Maker (Making the Cushion Cover)
Evaluating the Cushion Product
Traditional Tales is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 5-7.
Design Brief: Design and make a book page about a traditional tale that includes a simple mechanism.
The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:
• Materials
• Mechanical Systems (Sliders, Levers, Pop-Ups)
In this unit of work children design and make a page for a class book. The book page must have a movable element. Children are introduced to a range of mechanical systems such as sliders, levers, and pop-ups and how they can be used to create movement in book pages. Children apply this knowledge of different mechanisms when designing and making their book page which is based on a traditional tale.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
IDEA Task 1 – Investigating Mechanical Books & Focused Practical Task 1 – Tortoise Trek (Movement using a slider mechanism)
Focused Practical Task 2 – Puppet Show (Movement using a slider mechanism)
Focused Practical Task 3 – Rocket Race (Rotational Movement)
IDEA Task 2 – Movement Around the School & Focused Practical Task 4 – Pop Up Village (Pop Up Mechanism)
Design & make a book page
Evaluation Session
In this unit of work children learn how to make a focaccia bread product that can be used as part of a shared meal. They investigate a range of bread products from around the world and have the opportunity to taste test some breads that can be bought locally in a bakery then recording their results using a taste test recording sheet. Children learn how to follow a basic bread recipe, about the action of yeast and the importance of kneading bread. Using this knowledge, they adapt this recipe and add other ingredients to create their own focaccia bread product which is shaped to make it suitable to be shared. The completed product is taste tested and evaluated.
Sequence of Learning for Teachers
IDEA Task 1 – Breads from Around the World & IDEA Task 2 Investigating Breads
Focused Practical Task 1 – Baking Bread
IDEA Task 3 – What is Focaccia? & Focused Practical Task 2 – Shaping Dough
DME: Bread Designing
DME: Making Focaccia
DME: Evaluating and Packaging the Product